This document discusses arguments for and against vegetarianism from an Islamic perspective. It notes that while the Quran permits Muslims to eat meat, it is not compulsory, and one can be a good Muslim while being vegetarian. It also discusses how Hindu scriptures like the Manu Smriti permit meat consumption, though many Hindus adopted vegetarianism due to other religious influences. The document argues that a purely vegetarian diet may not eliminate taking life altogether since plants are alive as well and can feel pain, and concludes that humans are anatomically suited to eat both plants and animals.

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2. The views and opinions expressed in this presentation have
been sourced from IRF. I have only given it a form of
presentation. Further the presentation aims at providing
information and doesn’t intend hurting any community or
individual believes and feelings.

4. ‘Vegetarianism’ is now a movement the world over. Many even associate it with
animal rights. Indeed, a large number of people consider the consumption of
meat and other non-vegetarian products to be a violation of animal rights.

7. Let us look at various other aspects of this argument.
A Muslim can be a pure vegetarian
A Muslim can be a very good Muslim despite
being a pure vegetarian. It is not compulsory
for a Muslim to have non-vegetarian food.

8. The Qur’an, however permits a Muslim to have
non-vegetarian food. The following Qur’anic verses
are proof of this fact:
"O ye who believe! Fulfill (all) obligations. Lawful unto
you (for food) are all four-footed animals with the
exceptions named."
[Al-Qur’an 5:1]
"And cattle He has created for you (men): from them
Ye derive warmth, and numerous benefits, And of
their (meat) ye eat."
[Al-Qur’an 16:5]
"And in cattle (too) ye have an instructive example:
From within their bodies We produce (milk) for you to
drink; there are, in them, (besides), numerous (other)
benefits for you; and of their (meat) ye eat."
[Al-Qur’an 23:21]

9. Let us analyze

10. There are many Hindus who are strictly vegetarian. They think it is
against their religion to consume non-vegetarian food. But the true
fact is that the Hindu scriptures permit a person to have meat. The
scriptures mention Hindu sages and saints consuming nonvegetarian food.

11. It is mentioned in Manu Smruti, the law book of Hindus, in
chapter 5 verse 30
"The eater who eats the flesh of those to be eaten does nothing
bad, even if he does it day after day, for God himself created
some to be eaten and some to be eater."
Again next verse of Manu Smruti, that is, chapter 5 verse 31 says
"Eating meat is right for the sacrifice, this is traditionally known as a rule of the gods."
Further in Manu Smruti chapter 5 verse 39 and 40 says
"God himself created sacrificial animals for sacrifice, ...., therefore killing in a
sacrifice is not killing."

12. Mahabharata Anushashan Parva chapter 88 narrates the discussion between
Dharmaraj Yudhishthira and Pitamah Bhishma about what food one should
offer to Pitris (ancestors) during the Shraddha (ceremony of dead) to keep
them satisfied. Paragraph reads as follows:
So but natural if you want to keep your
ancestors satisfied forever, you should
serve them the meat of red goat.

13. Though Hindu Scriptures permit its followers to have non-vegetarian food,
many Hindus adopted the vegetarian system because they were influenced by
other religions like Jainism.
Certain religions have adopted pure vegetarianism as a dietary law because
they are totally against the killing of living creatures. If a person can survive
without killing any living creature, I would be the first person to adopt such a way
of life.

14. Even plants have life.
In the past people thought plants were lifeless. Today
it is a universal fact that even plants have life. Thus
their logic of not killing living creatures is not fulfilled
even by being a pure vegetarian.
They further argue that plants cannot feel pain,
therefore killing a plant is a lesser crime as
compared to killing an animal. Today science tells
us that even plants can feel pain.

15. There was research done by a farmer in
U.S.A. who invented an instrument
which converted the cry of the plant so
that it could be heard by human beings.
He was able to realize immediately
when the plant itself cried for water.
Latest researches show that the plants
can even feel happy and sad. It can also
cry.

16. This is due to the inability of the human ear to hear sounds that are not in the
audible range i.e. 20 Hertz to 20,000 Hertz. Anything below and above this
range cannot be heard by a human being.
A dog can hear up to 40,000 Hertz.
Thus there are silent dog whistles that
have a frequency of more than 20,000
Hertz and less than 40,000 Hertz.
These whistles are only heard by dogs
and not by human beings. The dog
recognizes the masters whistle and
comes to the master.

17. Killing a living creature with two senses
less is not a lesser crime
Once a vegetarian argued his case by
saying that plants only have two or three
senses while the animals have five senses.
Therefore killing a plant is a lesser crime
than killing an animal.
Suppose your brother is born deaf and dumb and has two senses less as
compared to other human beings. He becomes mature and someone murders
him. Would you ask the judge to give the murderer a lesser punishment because
your brother has two senses less? In fact you would say that he has killed a
masoom, an innocent person, and the judge should give the murderer a greater
punishment.

18. If every human being was a vegetarian, it would lead to overpopulation of
cattle in the world, since their reproduction and multiplication is very swift.
God in His Divine Wisdom knows how to maintain the balance of His
creation appropriately. No wonder He has permitted us to have the meat
of the cattle.

19. Cost of meat is
reasonable since all
aren’t non-vegetarians
Do not mind if some people are pure vegetarians. However they should not
condemn non-vegetarians as ruthless. In fact if all Indians become nonvegetarians then the present non-vegetarians would be losers since the
prices of meat would rise.

20. If you observe the teeth of herbivorous animals like the cow, goat and sheep, you
will find something strikingly similar in all of them. All these animals have a set of
flat teeth i.e. suited for herbivorous diet.

21. If you observe the set of teeth of the carnivorous animals
like the lion, tiger, or leopard, they all have a set of
pointed teeth i.e. suited for a carnivorous diet.

22. If you analyze the set of teeth of
humans, you find that they have flat
teeth as well as pointed teeth. Thus
they have teeth suited for both
herbivorous as well as carnivorous
food i.e. they are omnivorous..

23. One may ask, if Almighty God wanted humans to
have only vegetables, why did He provide us
also with pointed teeth? It is logical that He
expected us to need and to have both vegetarian as
well as non-vegetarian food

24. The digestive system of herbivorous animals can digest only
vegetables. The digestive system of carnivorous animals can
digest only meat.

25. But the digestive system of humans can
digest both vegetarian and non-vegetarian
food. If Almighty God wanted us to have
only vegetables then why did He give us a
digestive system that can digest both
vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian
food?

26. Meat is nutritious and rich in complete protein
Non-vegetarian food is a good source of
excellent protein. It contains biologically
complete protein i.e. all the 8 essential
amino acid that are not synthesized by the
body and should be supplied in the diet.
Meat also contains iron, vitamin B1 and
niacin.

27. God has created the earth and its wondrous flora and fauna for the benefit of
mankind. It is up to mankind to use every resource in this world judiciously, as
a Divine blessing and trust from God.

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